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Ultima VI Nitpicks
Ultima VI was the first Ultima to use the mouse. The engine had vastly improved, and numerous details were able to be shown. The Avatar could pick-up and use numerous items. Ultima VI also had an interesting world to explore, and an intriguing story with an interesting plot twist. The Ultima series had finally reached a state where everything can be picked to pieces. Ignorance of Predecessors ANJU SERMANI In a dialogue in Serpent’s Hold, you learn that it’s not possible to resurrect a burnt body. However, in Ultima III, there was a spell called “ANJU SERMANI”, which served exactly this purpose.Originally submitted by Mimu The Gypsy's Potions The introduction with the gypsy must be (as in Ultima V) interpreted such that the Avatar recalls the events of the Ultima IV introduction. But why suddenly those potions? Where are the tarot cards?Originally submitted by Tribun Dragon Moongate Mysteries In Ultima VI, you are told how exactly the Orb of the Moons works. This leads to a question about the end of Ultima V. Lord British, the Avatar, and the companions walked through the red moongate, and only the Avatar was taken to Earth. Did the moongate have the ability to read thoughts and sensed that the Avatar wanted to go home and take a shower at last? Patsy In Ultima VI, you are constantly accused of stealing the Codex from the Gargoyles. But you did not! You were sent right back to Earth after consulting it at the end of Ultima IV. It’s the High Council that raised the Codex from the Abyss in the time between Ultima IV and Ultima V. The Gargoyles should go after them.Originally submitted by Sergorn Dragon) Empath Abbey Remodeling Empath Abbey was a castle in Ultima V, whereas it has turned into a monastery in Ultima VI. Response: If anything, it being a castle in the earlier games is a mistake, based on the name. Improved Smithing? When you buy a magic shield in Ultima V, the merchant claims that each of them requires a 100 year ritual to be created (slight hyperbole?), yet in Ultima VI, the armorer Gherick makes you one in the blink of one’s eye. Lycaeum Expansion In the past, the observatory was integrated into the Lycaeum instead of being a separate building. Missing: Magic Carpet Where is the magic carpet from Ultima V? Shouldn’t one of the companions have it? (Even more mysterious: In Ultima VII, the carpet is going to reappear without any explanation at all.)Originally submitted by Avatarsgarbidge) Mystic Armor What happened to the Mystic Armor? Were they lost forever in Dungeon Doom?Originally submitted by Dino the Dark Dragon) Feast of the Avatar Terri, who has a crush on the Avatar, says: My mother used to tell me stories about you when I was a girl. You probably wouldn’t remember her but she was at the big celebration right after you recovered the Codex. So, a celebration took place after the Quest of the Avatar had been solved. And it is at least indicated that the Avatar himself participated, which contradicts the events at the end of Ultima IV. History of Sosaria The book about the First Age of Darkness in Ultima VI talks about how Mondain brought pestilence to Britannia. Yet... there was no Britannia back then, but rather Sosaria and many other lands. Sosaria was reshaped and became Britannia after the fall of Exodus.Originally submitted by Hyena of Ice) Resistance Tunnels What happened to the underground tunnels in Yew, which offered refuge to the members of the Resistance under Blackthorn’s regime? Temple of Virtue What happened to the Temple of Virtues in Cove? It was there in Ultima IV and V. Did the Gargoyles destroy it? If yes, then why does nobody mention it? Vortex Cube In Ultima VI, we learn that the Shadowlords once stole the Vortex Cube, which allows you to teleport to any place. If that’s true, then why did they wait until Lord British opened the exit of the Underworld for them in Ultima V? Temple of Singularity In Ultima VI, it’s constantly mentioned that we stole the Codex in Ultima IV. But there are a few problems regarding the Temple of Singularity: * In Ultima V, there was a huge lava pool in the Underworld where once had been the end of the Abyss. That lava should have turned the Gargoyle temple into ashes. * Shouldn’t we find some remnants of the ancient Abyss entrance in Ultima VI? Size of Runes The bellringer in Britain tells you about the runes: “There’s a symbol on one side and a letter on the other. Probably spell something out if you put ’em all on a necklace.”. What an odd reference to “INFINITY”. Makes you wonder why the Avatar had to consult the Shrines in Ultima IV to get the letters if they were written clearly on the runes themselves. Buccaneer Vineyard In Ultima IV, there is a teeny island northeast of Buccaneer’s Den. One of the merchants of the Den says he has a vineyard there. In Ultima V, the island is in the same place, same shape, same size. But in Ultima VI, now that the graphics are detailed enough to show vineyards, the island is no longer there.Originally submitted by Gallara) Deceit Remodeled Deceit has the wrong look in Ultima VI. It was made more than clear that Deceit was constructed by human hand, and that’s how all Ultimas (Ultima V, too) handle the dungeon, with the exception of Ultima VI. Here, it is a dirty hole in the earth. (Just to be turned back in Ultima VII.) Technical Shortcomings Geometry of Britannia Britannia is a sphere! Yeah... uhm... no, it’s flat... Is it? No, Britannia has in fact become flat. All of a sudden, the dark Middle Ages have returned in Ultima VI. Response: Actually, the world has always, and still is in Ultima VI, a torus. Get on the balloon and fly around in Ultima VI and you will indeed come out the other side. Of course, the question now is, where did the void come from and why doesn't the water fall into it? Empath Abbey Entrance The main entrance of Empath Abbey should be south, not west. Location of Castle British Until Ultima V, Castle British was located east of Britain. Since Ultima VI, it’s north of Britain... It’s illogical, considering the location of the Britannys in Ultima V. Mister Garriott, Tear Down This Wall Where have the city walls of Jhelom, Moonglow, Minoc, Britain, and Yew gone after Ultima V? It’s war time, and you’d think city walls are important. Mighty Morphin' Orb of the Moons The Orb of the Moon’s appearance doesn’t match its description from Ultima V (“a small, red sphere”). Britannian Currency During a conversation in the mint, we are shown the three different coins of Britannia. As the coins are specially mentioned, one big question arises: Why don’t they appear in the game? Response: It's probably just a callback to Ultima I, wherein different denominations of coin did exist. If they Outlaw Steal Spells . . . You have to wonder if the Steal spell was ever outlawed. (I’d say the Great Council messed it up once again.)Originally submitted by Azurio) Wet Feet The Avatar refuses to cross two feet wide streams, yet he happily walks on lava. # Why doesn’t he simply wade through? The water can’t be that deep. # Or why doesn’t he use a large enough wooden board as a bridge? Where's A Phonebooth When You Need One? In the introduction, the Avatar still wears his Earth clothes. Yet when the game starts, he appears in his Avatar outfit in Lord British’s throne room.Originally submitted by HackiDragon) There Are Two Sides to Every Planet . . . As for the whole Underworld affair in this game: It can’t be a simple case of the Realm of the Gargoyles existing on the reverse side of Britannia, either, because the sun and moons will appear in exactly the same location in the sky regardless of whether you’re in Britannia or the Realm of the Gargoyles. Geometry of Britannia You can fly the balloon over the Void and warp to the other side of the map in Ultima VI. So the world model (torus, square lined with teleporters, or whatever) is the same as in the other games. Which makes even less sense now. Gwenneth's Shoddy Work Ethic Gwenneth, if you ask her about a triple crossbow, says she’ll make one but it would take 6 months (or something like that) to finish it. However, even if you wait that long, she’ll never finish. Response: Most likely, the game designers didn't expect the player to wait that long. Avatar's Telekinesis In the beginning of Ultima VI, the Avatar races out to the stone circle, sees the Orb of the Moons lying in the circle, and picks it up. The error comes in the way it is presented. In between the two scenes, the only graphical change is that the stone is now in the Avatar’s hand. Why did the Avatar look at the stone, go pick-it-up, then walk back to the exact place he was standing when he first saw the stone, and then examine it? Otherwise, the Avatar has the power of telekinesis on Earth!Originally submitted by Elzair) General Problems Lycaeum Cellars Why did we never see these cellars before? More Geometry of Britannia More problems with the strange world model of Ultima VI: Captain Johne mentions that the Gargoyle world is slowly fading away. This creates a number of problems: * If Britannia is really flat and the Realm of the Gargoyles are nothing but the other side of the disc, shouldn’t Britannia fade away, too? * Why is the Gargoyle world surrounded by the void? Technically, we should see the land mass of Britannia. * How’s that supposed to work once the Realm of the Gargoyles is gone: You climb down a ladder in a dungeon and suddenly fall down into the void? * If Britannia is a sphere and the “Hollow World” theory is true, then the planet would soon crumble down anyway. Shamino's Intuition Isn’t it really amazing that Shamino knows about dungeons he never entered before in his life, as for example the Gargoyle dungeons? Lord Lazy Even though he is invulnerable, the good king does not fight against the Gargoyles at the shrines himself; instead, he lets the Avatar go into battle. He does not even help defeat the Gargoyles in his own throne room! No Milk Carton Ad for the Moonstones You don’t get to hear a single word from Lord British about the moonstones being lost, do you? Companion Amnesia Julia acts as if you had never met her before. Mariah acts like a total stranger as well. Time Disjointed? A possible plot hole, regarding the tablet to translate Gargish. When the Avatar talks to Mariah or the gypsy, it sounds as if the Tablet (well, half of it) had just been retrieved recently; yet when he talks to the pirates about the other half, it sounds like it has been years. Britannian Nero The fate of the town’s shrine (and consequently the fate of Britannia) is at stake, and the guild master in Minoc wants us to play the flute for him to get the rune. He obviously doesn’t realize how serious the situation is. Marney's Mother In Skara Brae, Marney, Gideon, and Yorl talk about Marney’s mother being kidnapped by Mondain’s men when Marney was very young. This gives us the impression that all Britannians age at a much slower rate than people from Earth. In later Ultimas, this seems to be contradicted, and only a select few age at a phenomenally slow rate (mainly just Lord British, the Avatar’s companions, and powerful mages). Gargoyle View of Humans Some confusion in regards to the Gargoyles’ view of humans: According to all books, humans are something mysterious and alien to Gargoyles. That’s odd considering that two of their three shrines of principles resemble humans. Solar Eclipse Spell There’s a (pretty useless) spell to summon a solar eclipse. In doing so, one of the moons jumps in front of the sun and then back! Heck, I believe in much magical power, but this seems a bit on the extreme side, doesn’t it? References and original contributors to Hacki's page External links * Hacki's Ultima Nitpics - hosted by Bootstrike Ultima VI Nitpicks